paper

On the dimensionality of spacetime

arXiv:gr-qc/9702052 · doi:10.1088/0264-9381/14/4/002

Abstract

Some superstring theories have more than one effective low-energy limit, corresponding to classical spacetimes with different dimensionalities. We argue that all but the 3+1-dimensional one might correspond to ``dead worlds'', devoid of observers, in which case all such ensemble theories would actually predict that we should find ourselves inhabiting a 3+1-dimensional spacetime. With more or less than one time-dimension, the partial differential equations of nature would lack the hyperbolicity property that enables observers to make predictions. In a space with more than three dimensions, there can be no traditional atoms and perhaps no stable structures. A space with less than three dimensions allows no gravitational force and may be too simple and barren to contain observers.

Minor modifications to match published version. 5 pages. Color figures and related links at http://www.sns.ias.edu/~max/dimensions.html (faster from the US), from http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/~max/dimensions.html (faster from Europe) or from [email protected]

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